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Communities in the Valley of the Sun

West Valley

Avondale, Buckeye, Estrella, Goodyear, Laveen, Litchfield Park,

Luke Air Force Base, Tolleson

Avondale

Avondale is a bustling residential community in the West Valley region of the Valley, 15 miles west of Phoenix. It is undergoing a transition from an agricultural economy to one based on light industry and commercial enterprises.

Avondale, founded around 1900 and incorporated in 1946, is named after a nearby ranch. The town sits along the Aqua Fria River just north of its junction with the Gila River. Avondale has an active Economic Development Department that searches for new industrial and commercial enterprises that fit the city planning program. When the 101 Loop Freeway is completed, it will connect the North Valley to the Southwest Valley at 99th Avenue and I-10, in Avondale.

Avondale is home to the Phoenix International Raceway, which hosts many important auto races each year, including the Copper World Classic in February, and the NASCAR Winston Cup Dura-Lube 550 in October. The raceway is located on the southern edge of Avondale away from residential areas.

White Tanks Mountain Regional Park lies to the northwest and is named for its natural rock water tanks. Many unusual petroglyphs are found in the 26,000-acre park, which features hiking trails, a waterfall and scenic desert vistas.

The country club living at Estrella Mountain Ranch in Phoenix, neighboring Sierra Mountains, the master-planned community offers residents the desert living with the convenience of a major metropolitan area. Residents can stay active with 72 acres of lakes, 40 acres of parks, tennis courts, gardens and facilities for boating, biking and hiking. Plans for the future include added schools, shopping, medical facilities and more. Homes range from the $129,000s to $435,000. And the new homes priced at $135,990 to $525,000.

Luke Air Force Base

Luke Air Force Base (Luke AFB) is an active military base that covers approximately 4,000 acres of land, west of Phoenix.

The Air Force Base is named for the first aviator to receive the Medal of Honor posthumously, Lt. Frank Luke, Jr. Born in Phoenix in 1897, the “Arizona Balloon Buster” scored 18 aerial victories during World War I – 14 German observation balloons and 4 enemy planes – in the skies over France before being killed in battle on Sept. 29, 1918. He was 21 years old.

The operations started in 1941 providing advanced flight training to fighter pilots. Deactivated in 1946 and subsequently reopened in 1951 with the onset of the Korean War, the air force base has been in operation since then. The function of the base: to provide combat training to aircrews.